Red Rose
by YaOiPrInCeSs16
Summary: "Sometimes, you gotta let a red rose float in the wind. Even if its' thorns are already broken." Van x Michael pairing. Shonen ai.


Hello my dear reader(s)! I decided to post up a one-shot, simply because I can. For those who follow my work, I'm sorry for not being able to finish my other stories. Life has been conquering EVERYTHING. So, I thought I'd just write this little baby here. Especially since there isn't a lot of Van and Michael stories in the fandom, but hey, I personally like them together soo yeah! xD Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own GunXSword or its' characters. I just own the plot.

**Warning: ** Shonen ai/yaoi. Boy on boy. Kind of a sad story. I don't like flames, so if you flame me, I'm going to have Van kick everyones' butt.

**Pairing: **Van x Michael, slight mention of Wuu.

**Summary: ** _"Sometimes, you gotta let a red rose float in the wind. Even if its' thorns are already broken." _

**Red Rose**

_By YaOiPrInCeSs16_

_**Michael P.O.V.**_

"We shouldn't do this."

"Why's that?"

"You're traveling with my sister. Not only that, but you're supposed to be my enemy Van. I can't just sneak off like this. The others will...get suspicious."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm going to kill the Claw; make no mistake. But when I do, I'll be able to free you from his grasps for good."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Don't know. I just do."

_Sometimes I wonder how Wendy is still sane from being with him…but she's not my priority anymore._

I stood by the window, peering out into the dark streets as the full moon filled the sky. A cool breeze brought itself inside the room, making me shiver. Then out of nowhere, a familiar pair of arms picked me up; making me gasps in surprise before I was settled onto a nice warm, bed.

I crawled underneath the blanket, wrapping it around me tightly for I am only in my boxers. Van sat on the foot of the bed, his strong muscular back facing me, playing with a puzzle of some kind. That black, cowboy hat settled on his head that covered short, soft black hair.

Moving closer to him with the blanket tight around me, I sat next to him on his right and watched him.

_This thing we have…it's almost like a puzzle. A puzzle that has yet to be solved and yet it wasn't even experimented on._

"Van?"

"Yeah?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my beating heart before speaking. "What we're doing now… You know it's merely a test right? Just something that'll assure us that we're still human."

Van's maroon colored eyes stayed glued on the medal puzzle in his hand when I asked this. My light green eyes flickered from his eyes to the puzzle and back. The grip I had on my blanket tightened slightly as I shifted so I could lean back against Van's shoulder. I combed through my short pale pink hair with my hand and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Once I leave here, we can't meet up again. Soon as I step out of that door, we'll resume as enemies."

The sound of the puzzle turning stopped in the once silence bedroom. I snapped my eyes open when I was suddenly pushed down on the middle of the bed and looked up to see Van straddling me. Before I could even pronounce a word, Van leaned down to capture my lips with his. I groaned at the sudden roughness he bestowed along with those large hands that have been through battle grip my hips almost possessively.

_It's funny. When I was with Wuu, I never had this feeling. The way my body reacts…how it starts becoming hotter and hotter. Even my heart is beating fast. I shouldn't feel this way, not for the enemy, not for someone who will be traveling with my sister…_

_Wendy._

I moaned when Vans lips trailed down my neck and started nibbling in one spot. "V-Van…ah, stop. Please." I whispered softly even though I truly didn't want those hot kisses to stop.

Van pulled away from my neck so he could look into my eyes. Those maroon eyes swirled with slight confusion but filled with lust. It felt like I was being devoured whole by a handsome demon that has captured me. If only he were a part of us. If only he could join us, the Original Seven.

"We mustn't continue."

"You said that a few hours ago and you _certainly_ weren't complaining." Van smirked coyly.

Heat settled on my cheeks in embarrassment but I managed to glare him. "That's because you _forced _me."

"You liked it. I gave you a dozen chances to free yourself and all you wanted was more. So I gave you more."

"Van, I didn't-"I stopped myself from getting into another argument before letting out a deep sigh. "I better leave."

Pushing Van away from me gently, I crawled out from under Van and got off the bed to get my discarded clothes. Just as I slipped my arms into the sleeves of my white shirt, I was pulled backwards into a warm heated body. I closed my eyes, trying to get rid of this nice feeling that was engulfing me.

"Stay." That husky, voice whispered in my ear and almost made me give in if it wasn't for my dignity.

I bit my bottom lip gently, "Van-"

"Just stay. You told them that you were going to be away for a couple of days. Wouldn't returning too early make them question you even more?" He explained and I could hear the smirk that graced those thin lips that kissed me only a minute ago.

_Unfortunately he's right, but I can't. _"Indeed, but I'd rather risk that chance."

"No you don't. I know you're lying to me, so spill. What's your real reason?"

I tensed up a little making Van pull me closer against him. Unconsciously, I brought my right hand up and placed it on top of Van's. Opening my eyes I stared at the wall in front of me, as if there was a mirror that reflected us standing here.

"I am afraid that I will have a deeper connection with you. That if I am with you for too long, I may not be able to kill you when we meet in battle." I confessed softly, my head bowed even though I know Van wouldn't be able to see.

However, Van turned me around so we were face to face, and tilted my head up to meet my gaze. For some reason, I didn't trust myself to meet those beautiful eyes of his; so I settled onto the little gold ring that was at the end of Van's hat. The one thing that summoned Van's best friend: Dan.

However, I was not expecting the words that were to come. "What if I were to tell you that I felt the same? As weird as it is, I don't want you in this fight. That's why I'm going to kill the claw regardless. To not only protect the others, but you as well."

_He's willing to do all that…for me? _"Now you're talking cheesy." I said lightly with a tiny smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's true though. I always wonder if you're okay or if anything has happened to you. Thing is, I always think of that and yet you don't truly belong to me."

My eyes widened at his statement and I finally met Vans gaze, only to meet with an almost sad smile. I brought my hands up to touch his back gently before stepping closer to him and resting my head on his shoulder.

"Will you not consider joining us? Be a part of the Original Seven?" I asked without even thinking, even though I knew exactly what the answer would be.

"Michael, you know I can't."

"I know. It was…worth a try after all."

Van peered down at me before glancing towards the window; the sky still covered in darkness. "We should probably get some rest. We wouldn't want you to be restless."

As he turned to pull away from me, I quickly reach to grab his hand. Van looks down at me with a surprised gaze and I blushed hotly at my own actions. Quickly retracting my hand, I looked over at the bed shyly.

"Even though we are enemies on the field…I still want to connect with you, be with you Van. As much as I want to deny it, I don't know how much longer I can try to resist you."

He seemed to understand this because Van smirked at me while walking closer towards me and I ended up backing up against the wall. Trapping me with his hands on the wall, Van stared into my eyes for a moment before giving me a smile, a true smile.

I stood there staring at him in awe.

"I gotta say, the more I look at you, the more beautiful you become. It's too bad that Wuu took your gift before I did."

"Please," I whispered before bringing a hand up to grip the back of Van's head; his hair soft against my fingers and Van's eyes widen at the sudden action. "I want you to replace his sins with your own."

"My sins would be no different than his. It wouldn't matter because we're both tainted."

"You're right. I can't go back in time and fix what happened in Evergreen with Wendy, and I can't go back and stop what happened when Wuu-"I paused a lump in the throat stopped me and my grip in Van's hair tightened. "But if there's something that could save me, that can pull me away, then I would gladly take it."

"So I'm just a tool then?" Van asked bitterly, "Something that you can go to when you're in need or warmth or better yet, something that will sacrifice itself for you?"

"Of course not! You were never a tool in my eyes!"

"Then what am I? Make me understand Michael!"

I pulled my hand away from Van's hair to let it rest on his abdomen, where his mark, his connection to Dan laid. Under my fingers I could feel the steady breathing that this body made. Somehow, my heart thumping faster just knowing that Van was within my grasp and that I was privileged enough to touch him.

"You're like a rose, Van."

Vans' eyes showed confusion at the sudden start, but didn't move or look away from me. I broke eye contact and looked over his shoulder at the bed mindlessly, even though I could feel him watching.

"A rose? I don't see how this pertains to what we're talking about."

"Sometimes you gotta a let a red rose float in the wind. Even if its' thorns are already broken."

Meeting Vans' gaze, I watched as some realization came together in those memorizing orbs. He gently placed his hand on top of mine, where it still rested on the mark that sealed both him and Dan.

"My thorns are not broken."

"No, they haven't broken all the way. The death of your wife only took away half the roses' strength. However, if Dan were to be gone…then you'd be defenseless with no thorns. Just like lion with its roar."

Van placed his hands on my shoulders; holding me in place as he continued to look into my eyes. "I'm not going to die. I will not be defenseless, and Dan will not fall."

"Then you were a tool all along! Dan is nothing but a tool to you! If Dan were to die, then you're life-force would _shatter_. Dan is the reason you're breathing, standing, and fighting amongst those like you. However, if I were to kill you now, Dan is just a simple machine ready to be taken by another." The feelings I tried to bury started to come out, my voice already shaking.

"Dan and I are destined. I will tell you a thousand times that I am _not_ going to get myself killed."

"What if you do, Van? What if the Claw destroys every bone in your body? What then?"

"Then I'll fight it. I'll fight death and come back to you and Wendy."

Somehow, that mere thought made me cringe. The thought of Wendy touching a strong rose that only I should touch, made my stomach turn. Taking deep breaths, I pulled myself away from Van and started packing my things.

"Michael, what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"You can't just leave."

"I can, and I will." I spoke while pulling on my black pants and white shirt.

Just as I was about to put my blue and white jacket, the thing that symbolized my loyalty to the Claw, Van snatched it before me. He observed the clothing, as if something evil was inside the material. I watched him carefully as he placed his hands at the neckline of the jacket, and started to pull.

"Van NO!"

**_Riiipp._**

Reaching out with a shocked gaze, I stared horrifically at the now half torn jacket that tore from the back. Van twirled the jacket around in his hands and smirked at himself.

"Much better."

"Why Van? Why would you do that when you know they'll come after you?"

"That's the whole point." He answered simply before tossing my jacket on the bed.

Taken aback by his statement, I looked at him in question, "What?"

"You say I'm a rose that's already broken. You're saying that I'm weak because I'm scared of someone stronger than I am, or because my wife died. We'll let me tell you, if that were the case, I wouldn't have slept with you last night that's' for damn sure." Van explained to me before walking across the room and grabbing his white tuxedo shirt and pulling it on.

I watched him for a moment before walking to the bed and grabbed my jacket to look at it. "That's why you're doing this. You're proving yourself that defeating the Claw will put yourself at peace. You're not only avenging your wife, but to calm yourself."

"If that's how you put it, I suppose that's the right way to say it."

Van was now fully dressed and looked at the small mirror across the room as he adjusted his hat before putting on his gloves. Just when he was about to pick up his sword, that sat delicately on the wooden desk beside my gun, I quickly grabbed my gun and pointed to his head.

"Don't."

All he did was move his head away and turned to look at me.

"Michael-"

"As much as I want to believe that what you say is true, I have devoted myself to the Claw. His plans on changing this dying planet, his view on how it should be, are something that we all need. And I will not let you stop it." I tell Van, who looks at me for a second and then lets out a small chuckle.

"It's funny how I actually understood what you were saying."

"Don't screw with me Van!" I pointed the gun towards his feet, and shot the floor without hitting him. "Like I said before, if you leave, and I leave, we resume our roles as enemies."

"But you don't want that."

"W-What?"

"You're threatening me so I'll stay. You want me here because you know that you can't kill me yourself. Then again, it could be something else." Van replied, but his answer only made me even angrier.

"You don't know anything! I left Wendy because I had to! I had to do it for my sake, and because the Claw needs me!" I said back as my grip on the gun tightened.

"Wendy and I need you too!"

Van bravely stepped forward, even as I pointed the gun to his head, but he swiftly grabbed my arm and twisted my wrist; making me scream in pain and drop the gun. He kicked the gun backwards towards the door before shoving me backwards; my back facing the window.

"I will fight the Claw. I will make sure that no-one else gets hurt by my hand. Once all this is over, I will come for you Michael, but not as an enemy." Van stated fiercely as I straightened my posture before looking him in the eye; maroon clashing with greens as we looked at one another.

It was then that Van finally turned to grab his sword, and picked up his bag before he bent down to grab my gun. I watched in shock as he placed it on the table gently, but didn't look at me.

"If you're truly devoted to the Claw, you'll pick up that gun and kill me as soon as I walk out this door. If you believe that the Claws' plan with change this world, knowing that you won't be able to connect with me anymore, then go ahead and do what you're supposed to do. But know this," Van stated before looking at me with a determined gaze.

"I, the broken rose that you speak of, **will** fight back. I'll fight back so hard that you'll wish you weren't in the Original Seven. So I won't be holding _**anything**_ back Michael, and neither will Wendy if she chooses to fight against you too. Remember that." He finishes before walking over to the bedroom door, twisting the handle and opening it before stepping out and closing it behind him.

"Van..." I say to myself before I slowly walk over to the door, grabbing my gun as I went, and paused before pointing my gun at it.

_You fool! You stupid, ignorant fool! Why would you say that? Why are you fighting a war that you may die in? Van, why?_

"Why Van?" I whispered to myself as I stared at the door and gun pointed to it, but I didn't notice the tears that were coming down my face as my body trembled.

Walking closer to the door, I leaned my forehead against the door before sobs escaped my lips and I slid down the door. I carelessly dropped the gun to the floor next to me as I continued to cry.

Crying because I knew Van was right.

Crying because I let this man, this enemy that I've fallen so hard for, escape my grasp.

Crying because I knew that from now on, no matter how much I wanted to return to Wendy and Van, I had to fight them. I had to fight back no matter what.

Unknown to me, I didn't know that the red rose that barely had no thorns, was silently crying and listening on the other side.

**A/N: **Yeah, I had no idea how to end it exactly. Sorry if this confused anyone, but this is how it came out. Poor Michael and Van =/ hopefully you liked it either way! Reviews are welcome! =]


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